American Introduces Self-Service at Heathrow

14 July 2004

Passengers returning to the
U.S. from London’s Heathrow Airport now are able to check in, check bags
and obtain a boarding pass often in 60 seconds or less, thanks to American
Airlines’ recently installed AA Self-Service Check-In(R) machines. This
deployment marks the second European installation of AA Self-Service
Check-In machines. In December 2003, American became the first U.S.
carrier to offer automated check in for international travel from Europe,
installing three self-service check-in machines at Charles de Gaulle
Airport in Paris. “American understands that our customers value the convenience, options
and tools that automated machines provide,” said Monte Ford, Senior Vice
President and Chief Information Officer at American. “More than 40 million
customers in the U.S. have used these machines since the first one was
installed in 2000. And, with nearly 60 percent of American Airlines
passengers using some form of automated check-in, AA Self-Service Check-In
machines help our customers navigate the process more quickly and get to
their flights sooner.”

The AA Self-Service Check-in machines also may be used by passengers with
connections beyond American’s U.S. gateways at Boston, Chicago,
Dallas/Fort Worth, New York’s John F. Kennedy, Los Angeles and Miami
airports. This includes connections to all of American’s destinations in
the continental U.S., Hawaii, Alaska, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto
Rico. The four self- service check-in machines will not alter the
mandatory security-agent screening that takes place immediately prior to
check in at Heathrow.

More than 700 AA Self-Service Check-In machines and 330 curbside units
allow American’s customers to check in, check bags, and change or upgrade
seats at more than 90 locations across the country. In 2003, AA
Self-Service Check-In usage tripled from the previous year, with more than
20 million passengers checking in at American’s machines. ——-